The Peters Township High School Dance Team will host the first annual Homecoming "P-Rade" parade, with various student groups entering floats to be judged, hoping to continue the event annually. The parade on October 10th will be followed by a pep rally and bonfire to get students excited for the upcoming homecoming football game and dance. In addition to floats, the parade will feature a "Servant for a Day" auction where senior sports captains and club presidents will be auctioned off to complete tasks for their buyer the next day.

1. Smoke Signals
PTHS
October 2007
Volume 39, Issue 1
Homecoming “P-Rade” Marches to Become
an Annual Affair
Photos by Julianna Paterra
School Spirit at its finest The Indians always show up on Friday nights ready to compete. Cheerleaders successfully energize the fans during home football games.
Meanwhile, the senior class always displays the most school spirit. Go Indians!
Grant Burkhardt
A
News Editor
s if homecoming week isn’t exciting enough – with an important
home football game and the dance you can go ahead and add a
parade to the list of activities as well. Actually, make it a P-Rade.
The Peters Township High School Dance Team
Homecoming “P-Rade”(P stands for Peters) on
October 10, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. at Century Sports
rally and a bonfire following in the high school
will host a
Wednesday,
with a pep
parking lot.
The Dance Team hopes that their idea for a community parade will
be a huge hit this year and in upcoming years. They want to involve
clubs and sports teams who do not normally receive much publicity
in the township. Many groups placed floats in the parade, including
the Media Department, the senior class, and the cheerleaders. These
groups hope that their hard work will pay off with an award for best
float or best costumes in the judging will take place during the P-Rade.
“I think the P-Rade will be a great opportunity for the people of Peters
Township to see what the student organizations are capable of at
the high school”, Senior Dance Team member Alex Egan explains.
“It is great that there is already so much interest from many students
at the high school. [The Dance Team] hopes the P-Rade will be
successful enough to be continued and made an annual event.”
In addition to the after-parade festivities, there will be an auction among the
students who are present for a segment called “Servant for a Day.” Senior fall
sports captains and club presidents will be auctioned off to the highest bidder,
and the winner will claim the rights to him or her for the next day. The servant
must do whatever their “master” tells them to do, including what to wear to
school. The servant must also learn a short dance routine to be performed
in front of the school at the Homecoming pep rally on Friday afternoon.
Overall, the P-Rade should be a huge success. The Dance Team
hopes that the fun will continue into the upcoming years, and that the
P-Rade will be considered an annual event during Homecoming Week.

2. Peters Township Reference
PTHS
Sunday
October
Tuesday
Monday
1
7
October 2007
Smoke Signals
Vegetarian Day
Wednesday
2
3
Walt Disney World
opened in 1971
8
9
Colmbus Day
(observed)
10
14
15
1
7
21
22
23
The Beach Boys
released, “Good
Vibrations”,
1966
Frappe
Day
I Love Lucy
Premires, 1951
16
Dictionary Day
24
Thursday
4
Sputnik is
launched by the
USSR, 1957
Friday
5
2
Saturday
6
Varsity Football @
TJ 7:30
1
1
1
2
1
3
Homecoming
25
The Microwave
oven was
introduced, 1955
Dracula @ 7:00
26
27
Saturday Night
Live Premires,
Varsity Football vs.
1975
KO 7:30
Girls Field Hockey
Senior Rec
18
19
20
Girls Soccer Senior
Rec
Varsity Football @
GIrls Volleyball SeAmbridge 7:30
nior Rec
Varsity Football @
Trinity 7:30
Dracula @ 7:30
Dracula @ 7:30
Samurai Sudoku Show
Spirit
At PT football games!
Samurai Sudoku is a
puzzle that combines
the fun of sudoku two
or more times over. For
those of you who are
sudoku addicts, and for
whom the challenge of
one grid is not enough,
samurai sudoku is ideal.
Puzzle from: http://www.clarity-media.co.uk
Photos by: Juliana Peterra, Jordan Grabowski, and Cara Stiffler

3. News
PTHS
October 2007
Smoke Signals
3
New Teachers Bring Life Experience to PTHS
Kate Ellis
Mrs. White tutors
underclassmen
students in Integrated
III during fifth period
math study lab. Study
labs were excellent
opportunities for
students to get extra
help that they needed to
boost their math scores.
Staff Writer
Over the summer, six teachers were inducted into Peters Township High School’s elite
faculty and staff club. They bring a wide variety of
new ideas and have incredibly diversified backgrounds; some have lived out of the country,
others have been in this area their entire lives.
The English Department proudly welcomed
Miss Ashley Daerr and Ms. Alissa Creany. Though
she was born in Fairfax, Virginia, Daerr went to
kindergarten in upstate New York. After completing
kindergarten, her family moved to Fredericksburg,
Virginia. She later moved to Peters Township and
earned her diploma in 2003. Earlier this year, she
earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from
St. Vincent College. This is her first year teaching.
Creany has had a bit more teaching experience.
After graduating from the University of Notre Dame with
degrees in English and Art History, Creany earned her
Master of Arts Degree by teaching at Brown University.
She taught in Providence, Rhode Island for three years
before coming to Pennsylvania as a sabbatical fill-in at
Shady Side Academy. She later moved to Greensburg to
teach at Ridgeview Academy Charter School for a year
before becoming a teacher here in Peters Township.
The Mathematics Department also gained
two new teachers: Mrs. Veronica White and Mrs. Erin
Baker. White is an incredibly well traveled individual.
Born in Rochester, New York, she later moved to
Greece to attend Olympia High School. She was
also a part of a summer exchange program that took
her to Japan for a year of high school. She earned
Photo by Brian Lewis
a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics,
Computer Education, and Science from Rochester
Institute of Technology. She later went to Robert
Morris University to gain her teaching certification.
The second of our new Math teachers is
also a Robert Morris University alumna, where
she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Mathematics. Baker taught for three-and-ahalf years at Langley High School before coming
here. She is a graduate of Derry Area High School.
Mrs. Lindsay Polard is the newest addition to the
Social Studies Department. After graduating from North
Allegheny High School, she continued her education at
James Madison University for Interdisciplinary Social
Science and then at the University of Pittsburgh for a
Masters of Arts in Teaching. Polard has also traveled to
Game Time: 35 Years and (Still) Marching
Renée Wunderlich
What In The
World?
Ochi Yosuke just won a custom-made Flying Finn electric guitar, worth $3400, by
playing air guitar. The annual air guitar
contest, this year held in Finland, brought
hundreds of hopeful participants, but Japanese native Yosuke out-aired them all.
Co-Editor -in-Chief
The Peters Township Mighty Indian Marching
Band celebrates their 35th anniversary this year,
with a grad total of 184 members, made up of 146
instrumentalists, 29 band front, and 9 management staff.
Those who attend the numerous festivals, parades, or
even halftime shows recognize the red and white-clad
group, high stepping their way through rain or shine.
This is not only one of the oldest student groups
in the high school, but also one of the most active. This
year, the Band has already completed Rookie Camp,
Home Band Camp, Away Band Camp at California
University of Pennsylvania. They have also preformed
at the Washington County Fair, a Wild Things game,
a Kennywood parade-and they’re just getting started.
The Band is set to perform
in a total of 9 football games, 4 band festivals
(including
their
commemorative
home
festival), as well as make an appearance at
Waynesburg College for a closeout performance.
“It’s amazing how they improve,” commented
Doctor Dell, director, “Each time, the group gets
a little better- and I don’t mean just musically;
on and off the field, these kids have an energy.”
And while today what is the largest organization
in the school appears that it’s always been an
immortal, driving ‘energy’, it didn’t start out that way.
The year was 1972 when music education’s
own beloved instructor and conductor Dr. Robert
Dell created The Mighty Indian Marching Band. Mr.
Howard Jack, superintendent at the time, had come
to him with what was both a daring request, yet a
seemingly probable dream: to gather those worthy
and willing to march in a field band. That June, 18
students showed up to practice. In a matter of days,
those 18 transformed into the “Original 42”. On
September 9 of that same year, the first members
of the young band paraded onto the football field
for their debut halftime show. The rest (with a lot
Tasmania, Australia for her junior year of high school,
London, where she spent her junior year of college, and
Haiti, where she volunteers at an orphanage school.
Yet another graduate of the University of
Pittsburgh, Mrs. Laura Tokarczyk is an assistant
teacher in Mrs. Beth Bockstoce’s eighth and ninth
period Spanish classes and teaches Spanish at
Pleasant Valley Elementary School as part of the
Foreign Language in the Elementary School (FLES)
Program. Tokarczyk grew up in Carnegie, Pennsylvania
and graduated from Chartiers Valley High School in
2001. She earned both her Bachelor of Arts degree
in Spanish and her Master of Arts Degree in Teaching
from the University of Pittsburgh. Tokarczyk studied
abroad in Spain and Brazil, and was married this
summer at Heinz Chapel in downtown Pittsburgh.
Photo courtesy of the Music Department
more dates, names, and performances) is history.
“We’ve all been on a building cycle, especially
in the last 10 years,” states Mrs. Donna Fox, who joined
the Mighty Indians in 1984 as their assistant director,
“But the thing about this is that the band really bonds.
These kid’s support each other on and off the field.”
The 35th anniversary pregame and
halftime shows feature selections such as
the theme from Superman, “Cat Scratch
Fever”,
and
“Everybody’s
Everything”.
“The music that we’re playing this
year is like a time capsule; they were written
during the same time the band started.”
informed senior Liz Zeffiro, a co-Drum Major.
They also display some of the talents of the
2007 staff in two pieces: Mr. Jeremy Olisar (former
student teacher) rearranged PTHS’s Alma Mater. The
percussion feature, “Get Up to Get Down”, was written
by one of the Drumline’s instructors, Mr. Dan Hervatin.
This year’s Peters Township Band Festival
featured not only these fine musicians, but also the
many alumni that gathered at the stadium to support
the Band, and the nine other visiting marching bands
who joined the Mighty Indians on the field for a massband playing of the patriotic piece This is My Country.
“The Festival was a big success,” said
Michael Jarrett, senior and co-Drum Major, “The whole
thing was a lot of work- not just for the staff, drum
majors, and Doc- for everyone. But it was amazing
experience. This really is a season to remember.”
A young woman in Oregon was recently arrested and charged with the arson and burglary of her neighbor’s home, believing that
the neighbor had stolen her keys. It wasn’t
until after the police arrived that she realized
they were hanging out of her pants pocket.
A McDonald’s employee in Union City,
Georgia spent a night in jail for serving a police officer a burger that was
too salty. Talk about being a picky eater!
A couple in Beijing, China recently attempted to name their child “@”. They claim that
the love for their child will be echoed with
the use of their email address. Their government, however, completely disagreed.
Maybe this is a sign that the world is becoming a bit too technologically involved?
A dissatisfied Belgian voter recently tried
to sell Belgium on eBay in retaliation for
his country’s political crisis. He offered to
have it shipped for free, but mentioned
that any potential buyer would have to
take on over three hundred billion dollars in national debt. The sale was taken
down three days later, though an offer for
fourteen billion dollars had been placed.
Compiled by Katie Ellis

4. 4
Features
PTHS
October 2007
Smoke Signals
Speak
OUT
Pep Rally
Roundtable
Student Searches
Angelina Nepa
Features Editor
Every month the Life and Style section
will print a conversation that features
students discussing a topic they care
about.
This month, let’s talk about
those seemingly weekly pep rallies.
Tim Beck (Senior): I think it’s a shame
that more people don’t participate and
feel as if somehow because they’re an
Photo by Julianna Paterra
underclassman or not “cool” or what have
you, they feel as if they don’t matter to the The Seniors show up the class of 2009 by
event, which is very untrue. Like it or hate displaying their outstanding school spirit! The Class
it, you’re here for 4 years (unless you move of 2008 has managed to rally together to support all
or are stupid and drop out.)… Our school school sports.
has so many more opportunities than many
schools, and too many people in the school
take that for granted…We need to get
involved and show a little support for this
building we call a prison-cell from 7:30 until
2:20 every weekday, because things could
be a lot worse, trust me.
Emily Estep
Doug
Maronde
‘11
“ I think students have more common
sense than to bring drugs to school.”
Students React to New
Search Policy
Lauren Hammell (Senior): I agree with Tim,
because one of the new principals came
from an inner city school …So even if you
absolutely hate being at the pep rallies, just
suck it up and cheer when you are supposed
to.
Drew Caliguiri (Junior): Tim, I agree with you one
hundred percent…I hope I can speak for the junior
class when I say we don’t want our fellow classmates
to get offended. We come to the football games and we
cheer our team, band, and cheerleaders on as much
as anyone else…I am sorry we have upset you.
Byron Zajdel (Senior): Pep rallies are the biggest
waste of time. Don’t get me wrong, I support our
teams and show a modest display of school spirit,
but the whole event is just a big charade…It’s all just
a big joke.
Tim Beck (Senior): Alright Drew, I understand. My
comment wasn’t directed straight at the Juniors; it’s
just the school in general. I personally really like the
class of 2009… So Rock on!
Tom Norton (Sophomore): Of course all of the seniors
are cheering, but freshmen and sophomores are too.
Maybe not as much or as loud, but I think they’re doing
OK. Besides, seniors will always come out on top, so
you can’t expect us to be louder than them. To prove
my point, notice that the freshmen won that little race
thing (and were excited about it) and sophomores won
the quiz thing.
Allison Kipling (Senior): I personally think that if we
focus only on athletics as the source of school spirit,
we’re sending the wrong message. Students should
support their school in academics and extracurriculars
too.
Staff Writer
On the first day of school this year, Dr. Hajzus informed
all students about the changes concerning lockdowns,
dog searches, and other various searches. In the event
of a lockdown, students will be locked in their classrooms
as lockers are searched for illegal substances, weapons,
etc. During a dog search, dogs will be free to search any
classroom. If they suspect something on a student, they
can search that student. A company called K9 Resources,
who is known as an industry leader, and as “The Professional Detection Specialists”, will provide these dog
searches. Vehicles are subject to search this year as well.
However, students have varying opinions on these new
procedures. Some students think they are great, some
think they are overdoing it, and some are simply indifferent.
“I don’t think they are all that necessary, PT’s drug problem
isn’t that bad,” stated sophomore Sarah Quinn. Along with
a few other students, Quinn believes that if they are going
to search every student’s locker during the lockdowns, the
problem should be more pressing. “I don’t like that every
student’s locker is searched at the same time, I feel it’s a
violation of our privacy,” remarked freshman Katie Rickman.
On the other hand, sophomore James Northrop commented, “All of these searches are a great idea. They keep us safe.”
Students who share this opinion strongly support these procedures because it gives them a sense of security, and it shows
them that wrongdoers will not go unpunished. “The searches
keep our school in line, so I support them,” Northrop said.
The issue doesn’t faze many students. “I don’t really
care about the searches. They don’t have anything to do
with me,” said junior Charanya Kaushik. A lot of students
don’t feel affected; they figure that if you don’t have anything
to hide, then you have nothing to worry about. Kaushik
said, “They can search me if they want, I don’t mind.”
Then, there are of course there are those who are
just having fun. They think that lockdowns are fun
and out of the ordinary. Multiple students said that
they are excited to see, and possibly pet, the dogs.
Annelyse Giovannitti (Senior): Uhhh, we’re seniors.
GO
figure
PeP rALLies
23 VARSITY
CHEERLEADERS
PUIMPING UP THE
CROWD
43Varsity
Football
playerspreparing for
the big game
19Varsity
Soccer Players
getting ready to
win another game
Natalie
Toscano
‘10
“As long as they have a probable
cause before they search, I think that
they will be good for the school.”
Colin
Mullet
‘09
“ S c h o o l s e a rc h e s a re g o o d
because they are going to stop
kids that need to act like adults.”
Erin
M a tth i s
‘08
“I don’t think that they are
necessary. You should trust your
students and trust that they
will make the right decisions.”
1425 STUDENTS
PACKED IN THE GYM
88 TEACHERS
SUPERVISING
STUDENTS

5. PTHS
October 2007
Features
Homecoming 2007:
Fall Fashions
Best Kept Secret - Teen Outreach
Peer Education
Mady Dietrich
Staff Writer
If you’re looking for a unique and
exciting extra-curricular activity, this is perfect
for you. We all know teen outreach as sex
class to get you out of gym, but they’ve been
running the Peer Education program out
of our high school for the past few years.
It offers students from the high school a
chance to revisit the middle school and talk
to eighth graders about decision-making,
confidence, peer pressure, and so much more.
What’s so great about this program
is that they ask nothing more of you than
your belief that middle school students are
too young to be sexually active. Students
are trained to teach at the middle school
and are encouraged to attend bi-weekly
meetings at the district wide home of Peer
Education, The Washington Hospital. Here,
members of the executive board serve as
peer educators, Real Talk Performers, and
even newspaper writers for The ObserverReporter’s Ask Mary Jo advice column.
Interest in Peer Education is
skyrocketing with Chris Kelly and Beth
Levkulich running the Peter’s program. Their
enjoyment and enthusiasm for the program
comes from their background of volunteer
work. Kelly got involved after volunteering
at a crisis pregnancy center and seeing the
despair the young women were going through.
“I just thought, if only I could get involved
sooner and help these girls before they get
to that point,” said Kelly. She then contacted
the director of The Washington Hospital’s Teen
Outreach program, Mary Jo Podgurski, who
helped her become active in the classroom.
“As a high school senior, I had forgotten
what a middle school student’s mind set is like.
Peer Ed, has given me the chance to reconnect
with that age group and really make a difference,”
said senior Abby Getz.
“When the peer
educators talk, they listen. My only regret is that I
didn’t get involved with the organization sooner.”
The program allows younger teens to
open up about whatever issues are bothering
them, freely express any opinion, and have
any question about high school life answered.
Freshman Meaghan Hrzic said, “Having
heard from the peer educators bettered my
understanding of life at the high school and
prepared me for what to expect there.” Not only
is Peer Education a fun and “feel good” program,
but it also looks great on college resumés.
Interested in being a peer educator?
Contact Chris Kelly at ckelly@healthyteens.com
Book Review
A Golden Opportunity In the Golden CompasS
Angelina Nepa, Features Editor
The first installment of Philip Pullman’s His Dark
Materials trilogy, The Golden Compass, is a fantastic story set
in an alternate universe in which all humans possess animal
manifestations of their personalities, called dæmons. Readers
follow Lyra, an orphan living at slightly off-kilter Oxford, and her
dæmon, Pantalaimon, who can shape shift, as they thwart an
assassination attempt on her uncle, Lord Asriel. As a reward,
Lord Asriel allows Lyra to become privy to secret (and heretical)
information that the story’s incarnation of the Catholic Church is
trying to cover up, concerning vanishing children in England’s poorer
districts. When Lyra’s friend Roger disappears, she enlists a group
of gypsies to find her friend and embarks upon an epic journey
into the North, the source of Church secrets and hidden motives.
This story’s strong suit is actually its description of life at
Oxford, the streets of London and the blurry line between scientific
and religious beliefs. Real-world facts blend seamlessly with
entirely made up details of this alternate universe. For example,
Lyra will mention electrons one moment and a tribe of mercenary
polar bears the next. At one point, I sat down to finish a chapter
and didn’t look up for several hours. Pullman’s simple prose and
thrilling ethical battles do not just make the characters interesting.
I actually started to care about Lyra, who manages to sum up
the best of Hermione Granger, Nancy Drew, and Kristy from The
Babysitters’ Club. Luckily for readers, the novel will be released
as a movie, staring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, in December
2007. Hopefully The Golden Compass film is only the first of a
trilogy of movies, as Philip Pullman’s second and third novels, The
Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, are sure to be spectacular.
Overall opinion: Amazing, desperately need to read the sequel.
Mad About Fashion
Melanie Hoffman
Staff Writer
5
From gemstones to fitted suits
and peep toe shoes, the trends this year
are hard to keep up with. That’s where I
come in to guide you through the basic
Homecoming trends of the season.
This year, you definitely want to go with
the darker birthstone colors (or ‘gem
colors’) for your dress, such as ruby and
sapphire. Besides gem colors there are:
olive green, metallic, sequins, animal
print, an egg plant purple, black, dark
brown, gray, and yellow to chose from.
The strapless, high collared short
dress is back from the ‘60s. I recommend
wearing peep toe heels for a shorter dress.
For the shorter dresses, the more attention
you draw to the dress and face - and not
your feet or hair - the more people look
people will be looking at you. For a longer
dress, you can wear flats or heels - but
make sure your entire shoe isn’t showing.
The less your feet are showing, the more
people’s attention will be on your dress and
not your feet. Going with heels
for Homecoming is a smart
choice, since it is a formal event.
For the men, the betterfitted suit you have, the better
you will feel and look. For your
shoes, the ‘beetle shoe’ (which
is a pointier shoe that becomes
Tech Trend
Sing, And You Will Find Music
Bridget Stasenko, Staff Writer
There are so many songs that it is hard to remember
the names of all of them. However, in a few years that won’t
be a problem. There is a website being designed that will
allow you to sing to your computer and within seconds find the
song that you are looking for. Sandra Bogerd, a musician and
Computer Science lecturer at the
Royal
Melbourne
Institute of Technology University,
is in the midst
of designing the search
engine
(Sing
to your Computer Blog).
This
website
will
allow
you to sing part of a
song to the
computer and it will
come up with
a list of digital
files. Still, voice
quality is
important because
it
will
affect the results. If the
voice
range and song lyrics are
incorrect then the results will be
delayed.
“I can never remember the
name
of
the songs, so this will be perfect”, said
junior Kristina Gaudy. This will not be expensive for the
user; the only purchase necessary is a computer microphone,
which cost $11.99 at www.dell.com. As of right now there is no
official cost to access the search engine. Be sure to look for
this new music retrieval technology in the next couple years.
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/41cNl4xufjL._AA280_.jpg

6. 6
PT Focus
PTHS
October 2007
Smoke Signals
Junioritis: And All Around Lack of School Spirit
Alex Egan
Opinion Editor
Photo
It’s Friday night, the field lights are on, the
cheerleaders are cheering, and the crowd goes WILD!
Oh, wait a minute, that doesn’t sound right. Are we
even allowed to have school spirit in Peters? You’d
never know it by the way our student fans respond to
game-winning plays, exciting stunts, and loud cheers.
If you’ve ever been to a PTHS pep rally or sporting
event, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Most of the lack of school spirit was proven
at the August 31 and September 14 pep rallies.
Now, don’t get me wrong, the Seniors have always
rocked the house. But the Juniors? Come on, we all
expected better from you. The Seniors were going
crazy, the Sophomores were barely shouting, and
the Freshmen were at least speaking (and even
standing up, might I add), while the Junior class
sat in silence. Juniors, you know it’s
getting bad when the
s by
Freshmen
are
louder
than
you.
It’s really not that hard. When the
cheerleaders yell “Juniors, Juniors, what’s your
cry?” All you have to do is yell “V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!”
You have no idea how the Junior cheerleaders
feel when their class is sitting in silence.
A lot of us are really wondering… why is it
so funny? “School spirit isn’t measured
by our participation in pep rallies. It’s all
about heart,” said junior Chris Cain. Sorry
Chris, but I’m not so sure about that. If you
aren’t going to cheer and show school
spirit, you might as well go back to class.
“I’m actually in the
process of trying to get people
to participate,” stated Junior
class president Dave Edmunds. “I’m on
the football team, so I’m not really involved
in the crowd right now. But after football
season, I’ll get pretty into it.” At least now
we know it’s not the entire Junior class.
But in all seriousness, what’s the
point of trying to act too cool to show
school spirit? If you’re trying to follow
the crowd and be cool, I’m not sure
if you’ve noticed, but it seems
as though the cool thing to do is
actually “get fired up” at pep rallies.
If you’re not doing it to win the
spirit stick, do it for your athletic
team. They need the support.
Another bone I have to pick is
about school spirit at the football games. Being
a cheerleader myself, it’s easy to say that it’s hard
Julia
nna P
aterra
for us to really cheer the game if the crowd is just
sitting there. We love cheering with the fans; the only
problem is that they need to respond. Cheerleaderfan interaction has gone way downhill this year. It
not only makes it hard for us to get excited, it kills
the fun of the game. If you guys aren’t excited, the
cheerleaders aren’t excited, which makes for a boring
game. And no one wants that. So what if the game
isn’t going well? Call your own chants, and make it fun.
So Juniors, let’s make an effort to get over
your Junioritis, and get some school spirit. Seniors,
keep it up, and show the rest of Peters Township
what school spirit is really about. As for everyone
else, get ready for the game on Friday… we want
to see some spirit out there. Let’s gooooo PT!
The Road Not Traveled At All Anymore
Mary Irwin
Guest Writer
Nearly one hundred autumns
ago a poetically inclined nomad
happened upon two roads that
diverged in a wood. Following a
few moments of indecision among
the ochre leaves, he elected to
take the road less traveled. Shortly
thereafter that decision was made
famous in the man’s chronicle of
the event, several verses named
for the weed-choked and seldom
trod path. “The Road Not Taken” by
Robert Frost enchants readers now
as ever; this, at least, the passage
of time has not greatly manipulated.
However, in recent years especially,
a change of monolithic proportions
has taken place. Certain elements
of modern culture have rendered
Frost’s “road less traveled” all
but impossible to walk anymore.
The first of these elements
truly
epitomizes
America’s
character. Our society thrives upon
activity. It is comprised of three
hundred million interminably busy
people. Too many of them cannot
fit a walk in the woods into their
overwhelming schedules; indeed,
most citizens probably do not even
care to try. The hyperactivity of
modern America has destroyed
man’s quest for contentment as
the flood destroyed Johnstown. A
preponderance of the workforce is
concerned primarily with, predictably,
money. Since attainment of money
is the only human desire that can
never be satisfied, humans seeking
only material wealth can never be
content. People need something
of which to be proud. They need to
surprise themselves every once in
a while, take chances, non-conform
[sic] now and again-just as Robert
Frost did so poignantly. The chaos of
present-day society, however, resists
these ideas ever so pusillanimously.
America’s
collective
attitude is not the only reason for the
disheartening lack of interest in the
“road less traveled.” Few paths mean
fewer travelers, and that is the other
issue currently plaguing the United
States and its deteriorating sense
of imagination. One cannot hope to
follow in Frost’s footsteps if these
footsteps have been bulldozed.
Eleven and a half billion trees are
destroyed annually. Sixteen billion
cubic feet of American forests are
annihilated in the same length of
time. Our population is expanding
by thirteen percent each decade,
using precious natural resourcesincluding, of course, space on the
crust. Earth is staying the same
size (although her forests are not!),
and places which once retained the
solemn idyll of the uncivilized Earth
no longer exist in any useful quantity.
If these trends continue,
America will become a place entirely
dominated by superficiality. The idea
of our nation as a polluted industrial
wasteland is a dark one, and not
one many citizens would care see
come to fruition. If each generation
keeps leaving the problem to the
next, however, that bleak possibility
could with frightening ease become
reality. Our society, then, must do
what it can do to prevent that grave
future from becoming our own.
Preserve the environment. Don’t
unconditionally equate money with
happiness. And, most importantly,
never ignore instincts when they
suggest the road less traveled.
Photo by Melanie Hoffman
Name: Mary Irwin
Grade: 12
Inspired to write this paper for Writing
Workshop because of the superficiality in
America. Born in Germany, runs cross country,
indoor track, and throws shotput and discus for
track. In law and government club and Model
UN. Wants to go into the Army and poilitics.

7. PTHS
October 2007
PT Focus
7
Carnegie Science Center Opens BODIES...THE EXHIBITION
Stephanie Cotugno
Staff Writer
Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh will open the doors on October
8 to BODIES…THE EXHIBITION, its first limited display of real human bodies.
Located at the SportsWorks facility in downtown Pittsburgh, the fascinating
showcase will exhibit the skeletal, muscular, respiratory, digestive, nervous,
urinary, reproductive, endocrine, and circulatory systems of humans along with
an understanding of both the anatomy and physiology of the body. For twenty
dollars per adult and thirteen dollars for children, the must-see showcase of
cadavers invites all visitors to experience the unique opportunity to see the
inner workings of the human body through preserved specimens. The display
is appropriate for all ages, but it is recommended for children to attend with a
parent or teacher for guidance. The public will also be able to see how cancer
and various diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s affect the human body
as the display also addresses disease prevention and the advances of modern
medicine. Medical students and practitioners have come together to create
an exhibit that will help to inspire individuals to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Did You Know?
Fun Facts About the Human Body!
•
•
“Buenos Días: Elementary Students
Expand Their Horizons”
Andrea Briggs
Syntax Editor
Peters Township School District is now offering foreign language
education in the elementary schools, as well as changing the programs in the
middle school.
The high school has always offered world language courses, ranging
in difficulty from Level I through Advanced Placement classes. In the middle
school, most seventh graders took Foreign Language Exploratory (FLEX) and
had nine weeks of each German, Spanish, and French, as well as nine weeks of
learning the roots of language. The following year they would select one of those
languages and pursue it in Level I.
Now the FLEX program is being moved to McMurray Elementary. The
sixth graders will take that program, and the Level I curriculum in the language of
their choice will be spread over the two years in the middle school.
“Spreading out the Level I curriculum will help give the students a better
foundation of the language,” said Mrs. Beth Bockstoce, one of four Spanish
teachers at the high school.
Sometimes there just isn’t enough time during one school year to teach
all of the material covered in Level I, so using the entire middle school experience
to begin the study of either German, Spanish or French is beneficial to students.
In turn, this will affect the high school classes, making them more rigorous and
in-depth.
“If I had been taught Spanish in the first and second grades, it would
have given me a jump-start and helped me learn the language at a faster rate,”
remarked junior, Taylor Miller. This year’s batch of first and second graders
will have the opportunity that he missed. Mr. Robert DiBiase and Mrs. Laura
Tokarczyk will be teaching Pleasant Valley and Bower Hill elementary students
basic Spanish to help prepare them for their coming years in McMurray and
beyond.
“For the younger kids, we’re not out to make Spanish speakers. The goal
of the program is to help give them the skills to learn a language, and then apply
that to the language they ultimately end up choosing to learn,” Mrs. Bockstoce
commented on the Foreign Language in Elementary School (FLES) program.
Starting the world languages program earlier will also open them up to different
cultures, because as of now FLEX and Level I students are just getting a brief
overview of the various countries and their traditions.
Fingernails grow faster than toenails.
•
It takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown.
•
Every square inch of the human body has an
average of 32 million bacterias on it.
•
Humans shed 600,000 particles of skin every
hour.
•
Lungs are the only organ in the human body
that can float on water.
•
The heart circulates the body’s blood supply
1,000 times a day.
Dracula Flies In For Halloween
Mr. Barry Wood
Director of Dracula
The weekend before Halloween will provide thrills and fun for the
entire family as the three-act vampire play “DRACULA” will be presented on
the high school stage by the Thespians under the direction of Barry N. Wood.
This play is the original Bela Lugosi script written by Hamilton Deane and John
L. Balderston, which was based on the world famous novel by Bram Stoker.
The play will be presented on Thursday, October 25, promptly at 7:00
p.m., and again on Friday and Saturday, October 26 & 27, promptly at 7:30
p.m. Tickets are only $5.00 for adults, and $3.00 for seniors and students.
They will be on sale at the high school and at the door for all performances.
The cast includes Chelsea Sweeney as Miss Wells, the maid, Harrison
Buzzatto as Jonathan Harker, Thomas Rauch as Dr. Seward, Eli Diamond as
Abraham Van Helsing, Dan DeLuca as R. M. Renfield, James Northrop as
Butterworth, Laura Zini as Lucy Seward and Edward Hardy Kern as Count
Dracula. The wolf and vampire bat sounds will be provided by Candace
Deyarmin, Chelsea Harmon, Natalie Palamides and Matt Smith. The Technical
Director for this production is Mr. David Walsh. Assisting Mr. Barry Wood
are Ben West as Assistant Director and Christine Getto as Stage Manager.
Photo by Barry Wood
“I loved going to the cadaver lab when I went on a field trip with Mrs.
Gunther’s Anatomy and Physiology class last year. I can’t wait to visit the exhibit
at SportsWorks,” said junior Amanda Wylie. The exhibit is home to 15 preserved
cadavers that were obtained and preserved at Dalian Medical University in the
People’s Republic of China. The bodies were preserved through a process
called polymer preservation where the tissue is removed and replaced with
silicone rubber. The end result is a rubberized specimen that can last up to a
decade. The preservation process of a human body could take up to a year
to complete, but preservation of human organs take as a little as a week.
It takes about 6 months for the nail on a finger
or toe to grow from the base to the tip.
•
The goal of BODIES is to educate all visitors in life long lessons including
the dangers of smoking and the benefits of healthy diets. “I think showing the
effects of what bad habits do to the human body will help stop people from doing
them. Seeing a brown lung from smoking will definitely stop me from smoking,”
stated freshman Patrick Flaherty. The display also will exhibit the effects of
lung cancer, breast cancer, obesity, and colon cancer as the creators want the
public to have an understanding of the common diseases in modern day society.
A human being loses between 40 to 100
strands of hair a day.
Count Dracula, freshman Hardy Kern, and Lucy, senior Laura Zini, pose for a publicity photo.
Dracula premieresThursday, Oct. 25 in the auditorium.

8. Opinion
8
October 2007
Smoke Signals
Battle of the Bands to Rock PT
PTHS
Technologythe New Religion
Stephanie Nitschmann
Gina Nepa
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
From screaming fans to pumped
performers, Battle of the Bands is one
event no one wants to miss out on. Peters
Township High School is hosting two Battle
of the Bands this year, one will be held on
October 4th and the other in November.
On October 4th, a Christian organization
called Campus Life will be hosting a Battle
of the Bands in the cafeteria from 6:3010:00. Tickets for the event have been
on sale since mid September for $5 but
will be available to eager fans for $8 in the
cafeteria the night of the event. After one
has paid or shown their pre-purchased
ticket, their hand will be stamped so that
they can leave and re-enter the cafeteria
without charge.
All profits from the
event go to paying off the facility rental,
sound crew, and the cash prizes for
the band. Any additional money goes
towards the Battle of the Bands next year.
Along with the battling bands,
such as “Pita” and “The Marauders”,
last year’s winning band “Outcried
Dilemma” is returning from college as the
headlining band to close for the show. “I
can’t wait to go see some of my friends
and classmates play. It’s awesome to
be a part of someone’s passion,” said
sophomore Haley Gerritsen, a supportive
fan of “Outcried Dilemma.” Being that this
is the third year Campus Life is holding
a Battle of the Bands, the crowd turnout
is supposed to be larger than last year.
Yearly, the number of fans has increased.
This year’s crowd is estimated to be around
400-500 students, as compared to the first
year where there were 350 attendants. “I
think Campus Life promoted the event a lot
more this year. Last year I didn’t hear too
“I talk to some people religiously over
Instant Messenger, but then they avoid me during
school. I don’t understand it,” explains sophomore
Danielle Dolcich. This appears to be a blossoming problem among students throughout society,
neglecting to realize the entire system is a joke.
Students fail to realize technology has taken over
their lives in an unpleasant manner, forcing them
to become less personable and more apathetic
towards honest communication. Observing the fourminute pass time between classes, various students
whip out their cell phones, sending a quick text to
their friends, which could provide for a detention.
Risky? Of course. Impossible? Not so much.
More and more, individuals are developing a strong dependence on technology, which
could negatively impact our developing society
worldwide. Obviously, some methods of prompt
communication prove to be efficient - texting, quick
Facebook posts,instant messages - but do these
approaches produce more unfavorable effects
than favorable? Masses of today’s teens tend to
act completely different when approached face-toface, unable to talk about topics easily addressed
Photo by Liz Cronin
over a text. The body of the community seems to
2007 Battle of the Bands Champion, the Marauders. Lead vocalist senior Tim Beck is accompanied by senior guitarist Mike Jarrett and junior base Keith Quinn. Ride of Your Life worship their cellular devices. This can be clearly
seen with traffic accidents occurring from these
rocked the judges to award the band first place.
distractions regularly, according to a recent study
by CNN. Putting the health issues, such as cases of
much about Battle of the Bands, as compared to this year where it has terminal cancer and hearing loss to the side (CNN)
come up in a few conversations,” said Julianne Taylor, a sophomore. people still want more. They have a growing need
The band that steals the crowds’ hearts this year will not only for easier, quicker, more impersonal communication.
walk away winning a cash prize but will have the chance to play in the So login to Myspace, change your ringback tone,
second round of the Campus Life Battle of the Bands. On December and let the colorless conversations flow.
28th, the winning bands from Peters Township, South Park, South
Fayette, Thomas Jefferson, Bethel Park, and Moon Township will battle
it out in the Bethel Park Community Center to be the ultimate winner of
Battle of the Bands. So come prepared to support your favorite band
this year and help them have the chance to compete in the next round.
SHE SAID
HE SAID
Alex Egan
Brian Lewis
What is the best way to ask/be asked to Homecoming?
Ask when both of you are alone and together, not over the phone or any
Be yourself, and don’t act nervous. Always ask in person; over the
funny business like that.
internet and on the phone is not going to fly. Be creative. My date wrote
“Homecoming!” all over my car. It was so cute.
If you could take anyone to Homecoming, who would it be and why?
Victoria Beckham because she seems cool and is pretty good looking
to boot.
George Clooney because he is downright the sexiest man alive.
What does getting ready for Homecoming consist of?
Taking a shower, shaving if needed, putting on a suit, and going to pick
up your date.
Weeks of preparation. Buy the dress, find the shoes, get the accessories, make a hair appointment, get the manicure, pedicure, etc. Literally the whole day is devoted to getting dolled up for the dance. Oh the
things we do for you boys.
Are Homecoming pictures necessary?
Some photos are fine, maybe a few pictures for the parents to
remember the occasion, but photos don’t need to take all day.
To be honest, I love having my picture taken so it really doesn’t bother
me. However, I DO think it takes a little long. I’m all for the memories,
but picture time should be cut down just a tad

9. October 2007
PTHS
Opinion
Banning E-mail Access Hurts Students
9
Food for the
Wrong Price
Ashley Czajkowski
Brian Lewis
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Opinion Co-Editor
Students returned to school this blocking occurs since spamming
only to find yet another website blocked: has become increasingly problematic.
Spam blockers are available, though.
their e-mail.
An important tool for relaying They are used on sites students blog
assignments from one’s house to within the school; why not use them for
the school virtually disappeared over e-mail?
The
school
computers
night. With floppy disks becoming
can be monitored throughout
less
practical,
and
the office by the
burning CDs at school
technology department.
uncommon for those not
Administrators
have
in a media class, students
Eliminated from our access to see when
are plagued with either
computer access due
purchasing a flash drive to the ever-dominating students log in, what
or hoping they can finish tech policy that seems websites are accessed,
even
what
their assignment at the to be blocking, well, and
students are adding
place they started. Even everything, to say the
to their desktop. With
this, however, may prove
least.
virtually every aspect
unrealistic considering the
under surveillance,
district tech policy bans
why can’t students
any “removable storage
use their e-mail?
device or CD/DVD…that
If it were being used for the wrong
has not been properly scanned
for viruses or authorized for use by a reasons, wouldn’t the office be able
to see it happening? It doesn’t make
teacher/administrator”.
E-mail provides a sense to limit something as vital as econvenient link from home to the school mail when everything is already strictly
for transferring documents, pictures, supervised on computers. In contrast,
etc. It was eliminated from our computer this could be resolved by creating
access due to the ever-dominating student e-mail accounts. These could
tech policy that seems to be blocking, be used for school purposes and
well, everything, to say the least. To an accessed both at home and at school.
extent, it is understandable as to why Until then, banning e-mail stands as an
“
”
Photo by Katie Gavlick
Junior Dana Hoelle is upset about not being able
to access her e-mail at school. Many students
depend on e-mail access to transfer and complete
assignments and were disappointed that major
e-mail websites were blocked this school year.
Fishtank: Pep Rallies
Renée Wuderlich
Smoke Signals
Smoke Signals is produced eight times during a school year by the
students of Media II, III, IV Journalism and extracurricular staff at
Peters Towship High School, 264 E. McMurray Road, McMurray PA
15317. Telephone: 724-941-6250 x.5379. E-mail: sitlern@pt-sd.org.
Commentaries, reviews, and opinion columns are the expressed opinion
of the author and not of Smoke Signals, its advisor or the Peters Township
School District. Member of the Pennsylvania School Press Association.
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Ashley Czajkowski
Renée Wunderlich
LAYOUT EDITOR
Katie Gavlick
Why is it that our school sells
one of the most expensive lunches in
the area? It seems outrageous to me
that I can go over to Mt. Lebanon HS
and get a basic lunch for $1.50 when
here I have to pay $1.85. It is the exact
same food that all students like to joke
about; with the rubber burgers and the
unidentifiable roast beef in gravy. There
is no reason why I should be forced to
fork over an extra $.35. This problem is
not just with Mt. Lebanon. At Upper St.
Clair HS, their grill lunch costs $2.40
while the super premium lunch, similar
to our Panini’s, runs for $3.10. Canon
Mac HS only pays a $1.50 for their
basic lunch while their grill is $2.00, a
full $.50 cheaper than our grill here.
Last year our prices were already
higher than almost every school in the
surrounding area, and now they have
risen even further. Even our beloved
snack bar is not safe from the clutches
of price rising with various items being
increased a good $.05 to $.10 on
average.
An additional problem
with these price increases is the fact
that lunches are not getting any bigger.
If anything, portions are getting smaller
and everyone is being forced to bring
extra money to get snacks, or bring
food from home to satisfy the voracious
appetites of high school students. These
problems also begin to make long time
favored lunches like the Bronco Burger
seem less appetizing. Early last year,
the cafeteria changed the Bronco
Burger patties from their usual patty to
the two patties one can find in a double
cheeseburger at the grill. Now students
are essentially paying an extra $.75
for a unique bun and the chance to
get baked potato chips as opposed to
french fries. It seems like it would be a
better idea to just get the french fries
and save money for cookies.
This price gouging almost seems as
if they are trying to make students eat
healthy by forcing them to bring their
lunch or to only buy the salad bar or deli
line. Maybe if students finally did stop
buying lunches people would stand up
and take notice of this problem.
SPORTS EDITOR
Bill Berry
Jordan Dent
MARKETING EDITORS
Brianna Lutes
Shelby Miller
FEATURES EDITOR
Angelina Nepa
STAFF WRITERS
Andrea Briggs, Emily Estep, Gina Nepa,
Taylor Relich, Bridget Stasenko, Katie Ellis,
Averi Clements, Paige Burris, Mady Dietrich, Stephanie
Nitschmann, Stephanie Cotugno, Ian Jackson, Dana
Hoelle, Melanie Hoffman, Brendan Sikora
OPINION EDITORS
Alex Egan
Brian Lewis
LAYOUT TEAM
Katie Gavlick, Kaylin Zawicki, Emily Correal, Shelby
Miller, Brianna Lutes
NEWS EDITOR
Grant Burkhardt
ADVISER

10. Sports
10
00
IAN
IAN
JACKSON
Extra
Point
00
TAYLOR
RELICH
What is the best conference in college
football?
TR:There’s no doubt in my mind that the best
teams to watch in college football are in the Southeastern Conference. 6 teams out of the top 25 in college football are SEC teams according to the Associated Press poll. Aside from the rankings, the SEC
has some of the most intimidating venues in the country, including LSU’s Tiger Stadium and Alabama’s
Bryant Denny Stadium. The SEC has the most competitive teams, and the most enthusiastic fans too.
IJ: I think that the Pac-10 is the strongest conference this season. They have UCLA, Oregon, USC, Cal,
Oregon State, and Arizona State. They have the number one team, USC. Plus, they have three other ranked
teams in #6 Cal, #11 Oregon, and #23 Arizona State.
UCLA has also started the season off 3-1. USC has a
tough place to play and so does UCLA. The PAC-10
might not have the history that some of the stadiums
you named have, but they still have some great crowds.
TR:The PAC-10 is a good conference, but its not
as good as the SEC, because one team wins the conference every year. The SEC has had six different conference champions in the last ten years. The SEC also
has a national championship contender this year, LSU,
so they got that working for them, which is nice. The
reason the SEC is the better conference is the overall
caliber of football played and the intense competition.
IJ: It isn’t the Pac10’s fault that they have the most
dominant team in college football. USC would win any conference, any year. The PAC-10 has 4 teams in the top 25 after
5 games, and two of the top three teams. The SEC may be a
little stronger all the way down the standings, but the Pac10
is stronger at the top. Auburn crushed Florida by the way.
TR:By the way, LSU is number one in the nation
now, according to the AP poll. Your point about the
PAC-10 being stronger at the top, who cares! A conference is measured by how good all the teams are not
just the top two. The PAC-10 has 4 good teams but
they also have 4 really bad teams: Stanford, Washington, Washington State, and Oregon State. The fact that
Auburn crushed Florida just supports my argument.
In the SEC, any team can beat any other team any given Saturday. That’s what makes a conference great.
IJ: What are you talking about? Oregon State is not
terrible. Maybe they aren’t their best this year, but they have
a really solid program. Washington is on the way up too. The
Pac10 is getting better and better each season. Stanford
even has some things going for them, Walt Harris will definitely turn that program around even if it takes a few years.
October 2007
Smoke Signals
Cheaters Never Win
Bill Berry
Co-Sports Editor
Cheating and steroids
have tarnished the credibility
of sports, in the minds of
many. As long as players
and coaches have a desire
to win, they will continue to
cheat. No one knows who is
cheating, but as time goes
by, more and more cases will
be revealed. Cheating has
always been a part of sports,
but it seems that cheating
is more prevalent now than
ever. Football, baseball, and
basketball have been clouded
by accusations of cheating.
In September, the
New England Patriots were
accused of cheating by New
York Jets’ head coach, Eric
Mangini. He claimed they
were using video equipment to
steal their defensive signals. It
was not the first time Patriots’
coach, Bill Bilichick, has been
accused of this. The Green Bay
Packers, Miami Dolphins, and
the Detroit Lions have all made
similar claims. However, it was
the first time there was video
evidence. NFL commissioner,
Roger Goodell fined Bilichick
$500,000, and also imposed
a $250,000 fine on the
organization and he will take
away their first pick in the 2008
draft if they make the playoffs.
Football is not alone;
Major League Baseball may be
the sport with the most steroid
woes. Some of its biggest
stars over the past 10 years
are currently involved in an
ongoing steroid investigation
by
the
United
States
Congress. Players such as
Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa,
Rafael Palmeiro, and most
troubling, the home run king,
Barry Bonds, have all drawn
intense speculation from fans
and other players. In his book,
Juiced, José Canseco claims
he supplied steroids to some
of MLB’s biggest stars. Since
then, baseball has attempted
to get a grip on steroids but
has had little success as there
is not test for the steroid, HGH.
The most shocking
case of cheating is that of
former NBA referee Tim
Donaghey.
Donaghey,
a
veteran NBA referee was
involved with organized crime.
He shaved points off the game
to help give his associates
inside information on games.
When
he
was
correct
Donaghey received a cut of
the profit and continued to
disgrace the game. His crimes
were brought to the NBA by
the FBI, who was investigating
the crime ring. Commissioner
David Stern insists Donaghey
acted alone, but many
question whether or not he did.
Cheating is not new
to sports. Many high profile
athletes have had their own
cheating scandals. Wayne
Gretzky and Lance Armstrong
have been caught up in different
investigations, but both remain
clean. Others such as Pete
Rose have been banished by
the game that once embraced
them. Cheating is a thing of
the past, present, and future
and will continue to take place
until fans take action.
PT Football on the Warpath
Taylor Relich
Staff Writer
Nick Milchovich’s first year as head
coach of the varsity football team hasn’t
started spectacularly, but the Indians have big
expectations for what others already consider to
be a rebuilding year.Along with Coach Milchovich,
the Indians have hired several new coaches,
such as T.J. Plack (offensive coordinator)
and Jeff Lowden (defensive coordinator).
“If we can overcome the mental
barriers that have hung over this program, we
can be successful,” said Milchovich. He also
mentioned that the staff has high expectations
for this team and that their main goals are to
contend for the Big 7 Conference title and make
the WPIAL playoffs. These goals will not be
easily achieved, though; the Indians have four
of their last six games away, and five of their
last six against conference opponents. The
Indians have struggled in their first four games
at home, beating Laurel Highlands, but losing to
Pine Richland, Chartiers Valley, and West Mifflin.
“Our team just needs to get healthy
again,” said quarterback Tyler Porco. The offense
has had some difficulty scoring without starting
tailback Nick Fazio, who has been suffering from
an ankle injury. The defense also has not been up
to par, giving up 114 points in the first four games.
The Indians also have two injured starters
on defense: Mike Allen, whose injury status is
week to week, and Alex Smith, who suffered
a concussion earlier this year but should be
back soon. At this point, the football team’s
playoff hopes rest on their last five games.
Conference games in front of the Indians
against Elizabeth Forward, Thomas Jefferson,
Keystone Oaks, and Trinity will all be “mustwin” games. For the Indians to make the
playoffs, they will need an inspired effort from
the whole team on both sides of the ball.
Lady Indians Golf Team Swings into the New
Season
Averi Clements
Staff Writer
The Lady Indians Golf team
possesses what is possibly
the best record of any sports
team in Peters Township. They
were undefeated in 2006, and
after six matches this year,
their record remains perfect.
They won their invitational
this year, defeating Blackhawk
by two strokes. Sophomore
Jessy Parham even received
the honor of the Southwestern
Pennsylvania Junior Golf
Tour’s female player of the
year award in 2006, beating out
girls from ages 14 to 17 in her
division. “That was great and
everything, but I think that my
biggest accomplishment was
that I shot a score of 34 [strokes]
this year,” recalled Parham.
“A lot of people
don’t realize just how much
[a first birdie] can mean to a
golfer. That’s huge progress,
and it really makes you proud
to know that all your hard work
is paying off,” said sophomore
Elizabeth Hammell. Hammell’s
progress makes the sport even
more enjoyable for her. “It’s
something that you’re going to
do your whole life. You don’t
really get to play basketball
or football too much after
you finish high school, but a
bunch of people go out to play
golf on the weekends all the
time,” she said. The girls find
that the social aspects of the
sport are just as enjoyable as
the physical work. The players
are all friends with each
other, and it makes the sport
even more pleasant for them.
The team seemed to
overcome the physical and
mental challenges of the sport
when they defeated their rival,
Mount Lebanon, during a
recent match. The score was
184 to 194. “That was huge
for us,” said senior Lauren
Hammell. “It really showed
everyone exactly what the
team is made of. Make sure
you watch out, because these
Lady Indians are going all the
way to WPIALs this year.” The
Lady Indians’ future is looking
bright, as they have a lot of
young talent that is sure to
carry on the team’s legacy.

11. Sports
PTHS
October 2007
Soccer Profile: #20 Cody Partyka
Soccer Team Ready for Another Fine Season
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SPORTS BRIEFS
Boys Soccer
Ian Jackson
Staff Writer
“I like the style that he brings to this
team, and I think he will fit into our system
perfectly. He really understands what we are
trying to do here,” said senior forward Shane
Pruitt. Partyka is a high scoring midfielder,
who likes to attack and specializes in
making long cross passes across the field.
Last year, Cody Partyka was another
solid Peters Township Soccer player, but this
season he is a star on the varsity boys’s
soccer team. Partyka has played the game of
soccer since age four. He has starred for Cup
teams, Beadling and Penn’s Forest. He led
the latter to a great season last year, including
a huge win over local rival Century United.
As of 9-27-07, Partyka has assisted
one goal and added three more of his own
this season with the Indians. He scored two
of his goals in a stellar performance against
rival Upper St. Clair. He is a valuable asset
playing alongside great Indian’s players such
as Shane Pruitt, Pat Russo, Mark Majoras,
Greg Weimer, Tim Hutchins, and Nick
Wilcox. They have led the team to a fast start
with a 6-1 record, as of 9-27-07. The varsity
team also boasts a deep bench that includes
players such as, Chris Beck, Ben Peterson,
Ryan Matthews, and TJ Stipanovich. With
those players assisting Partyka in taking on
the bulk of the workload, this is going to be
a really exciting season. Hopefully, that will
culminate to another trip to the WPIAL finals,
where the team lost to Bethel Park last season.
12-1 record 1-0
Win at home against Chartiers Valley
Play at C.V. on 10/11
Girls Soccer
12-0 record
They finish their season on 10/15
against Upper St. Clair 13-0 win at
Trinity
Field Hockey
3-2-1 record
Tied Lebo 1-1 on 9/2
Big game at Lebo on 10/16 in season finale
Photo by Dave DeBee
As of September 27, 2007 #20 Cody Partyka playing
tight defense against Norwin’s #23. The game was full of tight
defense as the teams would play to a 0-0 tie.
“I think our team has the talent to beat anybody, but we have every
team coming after us. It’s not easy being the best,” Partyka confidently
stated, “but we are, and we’ll probably win a lot of games this season.”
Girls Tennis: Back in Full Swing
Cross Country
Boys: 1-4 record
Tough 29-28 loss to USC on 9/25
Finishes season at Lebo on 10/2
Girls: 6-0 record
Have dominated all opponents
Finishes their great season on 10/2
at Lebo
Girls Volleyball
Jordan Dent
2-10 record
Big win against Chartiers Vally 10/02
Senior rec season ender 10/18 vs
USC
Co-Sports Editor
Even without their USOpen qualifier, junior Ali Riske,
the girls tennis team is proving
itself worthy of winning a
second consecutive state title.
Last year, the girls traveled
to Hershey to win their first
title ever. With a 7-0 section
record (8-1 overall), they are
looking to go back this year in
pursuit of another victory.
The team consists of five
seniors - a few of whom hope
to pursue their tennis careers
in college - three juniors,
eight sophomores, and eight
freshmen. They are a tightly
knit crew who, despite being
under pressure to win and play
up to last years’ standards, still
find time to be great friends.
“Bus rides are definitely the
best part of a match,” said
senior Emily Palko, “Between
stuffing our faces with food
and listening to Julie Stroyne
rap, we have a pretty good
time.” Many of this years’
seniors have played together
since elementary school, so
this year has a major impact
on them. “We just want to
make this year count. For
the seniors last year, winning
Boys Golf
9-2 record
Pulled out a four stroke lead against
rival Canon Mac on 9/20
Finish up their season on 10/11
against McGuffey
Photo by Heidi Eltschlager
Sophomore Julie Stroyne takes a swing during a match. Their competitive
drive s a major factor in their victories.
WPIALS was the best moment of their
tennis careers. We’re looking to do the
same,” Palko said.
On September 14, the team
traveled to Upper St. Clair to play their
most anticipated match of the season.
Like many PT sports, the girls consider
the Panthers to be their biggest rival.
Despite the loss, the girls have decided
that they won’t let a small bump upset
their entire season. “We can’t let one
loss get in the way of our goal,” stated
Palko, assuring that at their next
meeting, the Indians would come back
with a new sense of confidence and
attitude. The teams are scheduled to
play again on October 2nd.
With expectations such as winning
section, and going back to the state
tournament, the team’s mindset could be
summarized in one word: determination.
Just from watching the girls play, anyone
can tell they are completely focused on
one common goal, and that is to win.
These girls have proven that victory is a
team effort, that it takes more than one
player to win a match, and that twentyfour players can combine having fun
and staying disciplined to reach their
ending objective.
Girls Golf
8-0 record
They have been a WPIAL contender.
Football
2-3 record
Big senior rec win against Elizabeth
Forward on 9/28
Finshes the season 10/26 at Trinity

12. Voices in the Hall
PTHS
October 2007
Smoke Signals
What is your most embarrasing moment?
Kayla Graninger ‘11
“I was playing soccer and my
pants fell to my ankles …I didn’t
even notice at first!”
Mike Glod ‘10
“During summer gym Tyler
Sheetz kicked a soccer ball right
in my face”
Charles Murray ‘08
Katie Lynam ‘09
I did a total “Charlie Brown”...I
tried to kick a bottle, but missed
and landed on straight on my
back
“I knocked over the wall in Mr.
Kuhn’s room last year during
American History”
Describe your dream date.
Cameron Kasaraie ‘11
“Sky diving with Angelina Jolie!”
Jack Hareza ‘09
Jim Ryder ‘08
“Definitely a Dave Mathews Band
Concert with Jennifer Aniston”
“I’d date the Tooth fairy for her
endless amount of cash.”
Katie Fife ‘10
“I would go to a romantic dinner then
a moonlit stroll on the beach.”
What the teachers have to say...
“
Mr. Sussman
“During a 4th grade basketball
game I made a beautiful shot ...into
the opponent’s net.”
Mr. Walsh
Ms. O’Connor
Mrs. Stevenson
“I had Perfect Attendance in high
school, and missed the day I was
supposed to receive the award.”
“Dane Cook, definitely Dane
Cook.”
“With Patrick Dempsey…on an
island in the South Seas …far
far away.”
The PT Minute
Chase Wickerham ‘09
What is your favorite scary movie? - Halloween
What is your favorite costume? - Pedestrian
Where is the best place to Trick or Treat? - Quail Run
How do you dress your pumpkin? - Carve a Colonel
Sanders
Meredith Celko ‘09
What is your favorite scary movie? - Willie Wonka
and the Chocolate Factory
What is your favorite costume? - Pixie Fairy
How do you dress up? - Wear tons of make-up and
crazy costumes
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